Interest rates were to low for to long in the first place, action sooner on would have reduced the problem we have now. Prices need to fall and look as though they will considerably.

With money in the bank I would like them even higher... and lets not forget the banks need to encourage savers now more than ever, if they cannot trust each other enough to lend money they need my cash more than ever!!

Ginge, stockport, UK

The simple solution to this skewed market is to increase supply. Prices just won't fall much until this happens, especially in the South East.

The affordable homes nonsence is a waste of time. It is an effective tax on development, reducing supply and therefor raising costs. I have been directly involved in the decision making process that has come to that conclusion in at least three occassions.

Although the solution is simple, the challenge remains how do you encourage the housebuilders to churn out the houses in period where it makes sense for them to build up land banks and go slow on production.

Sam Slam, Glasgow, Scotland

What? Prices to fall by 4% in the next two years? WOW! So the last four months' rise will be negated.

Actually I am fed up with all these stupid forecasts. They are put out by people who, in the end, take no responsibility for what they utter. In the light of all past experience, nobody has a damn clue about what the prices will do.

Dick Parsons, Stevenage,

These predictions are laughable really. During the period 2000-2007, the pundits have all been wrong about house prices. Among the worst have been the lenders who consistently underestimated how high and fast prices would rise. As we move into the inevitable downturn (because all markets turn, eventually) they will also underestimate the falls. Typically the falls take as long, or longer than the rise, so we can expect falls for 5-7 years, but with the worst of it over the next 2-3. If the experts tell us it can fall 4-5%, believe me it could easily fall several times more than that! Think 30%, as this is the amount of the rise which can be attributed to speculation in residential property. Easy come, easy go.

Robert Twizell, Reading,

And what has happend to the Governments promise to build 270,000 new homes each year to meet the targets set for 2020? Clearly the number of completed homes is going to drop to below the current levels of of around 165,000 each year.

Christopher Glendinning Miller, Bedford, England

2% here 3% there - you wish! The rise in value of bricks and mortar over the past 5 years couldn't have been predicted in a lunatic asylum! Although it does seem the nation (lady muck)has lapped up it's new found wealth - mind you, apart from the credit card, it's the only feeling of wealth it's going to get because certainly salaries have in real terms being static over the past ten years. As the Germans say: "enjoy the war the peace will be terrible".

Tim Walton, Leeds, England